Cockatiel Helpful Facts
Here are some fun facts about cockatiels! *The Cockatiel was first discovered in Australia in 1770. It did not become popular until the Australian gold rush in the sixth of October 1902. *The climate in Austrailia is quite arid. So in the wild, you’ll see immense flocks of cockatiels circling the sky in search of large bodies of water where they can rest, breed, and escape from the heat. Australian farmers always view them as pests, because they feed off crops. However, most domesticated cockatoos have never set foot on their “homeland”. Australia haven't banned the exportation of native birds, so the ones you see in the pet stores were probably bred right in that country of sale. * The fumes emitted from cookware coated with Teflon can kill your Cockatiel. * Cockatiel seeds, how do you know if they are good and nutritious? Sprout them! If less than 70% of the seeds sprout, they have died and also its nutritional value. Place some cockatiel seeds on a container covered with a paper towel. Soak the seeds with water. Make sure you keep the seed moist for the next few days by just spraying them, they should sprout in about 4 to 5 days. You can wash them and can give them to your tiel, they are very good and nutritious. * Do you know what a Galatiel is? It's when a cockatiel and an Australian bird named Gallah have chicks together. *Cockatiels are very sociable birds and will get depressed if they are left alone for long periods of time. They may hit their heads against cages, pull their feathers, refuse to eat, or become angry. It’s best to get a pair of cockatiels if you know you’ll be out of your house for long periods of time. * Male cockatiels are better are talking and whistling than female cockatiels. In the wild the male cockatiel use sounds to attract females. *Cockatiels can be considered as the most widely kept parrot other than parakeet or budgie. *Hand fed cockatiels are more likely to talk than the parent fed ones. * If having a talking bird is your prime goal you might consider a larger parrot before getting a cockatiel. It's easier for a cockatiel to whistle than to talk. * The cockatiel life span can reach up to 22 years, though the standard is 15 years. This life span is based on proper care, nutrition and environment where your tiel lives. There was even one cockatiel that lived 36 years! * Drafty areas in your house can be very bad for your cockatiel, it can even kill them by making your tiel very sick. Don't place the cage anywhere there might be a direct or indirect draft like air conditioning vents. If you want to find out if there is a draft you are not aware of, place a candle in the area you are thinking of placing the cage. It if flickers, there's a draft there, so find another area for your cage. *Cockatiels make good fathers! While the mothers are responsible for hatching the eggs and and and caring for the newborn chicks, the male cockatiel doesn’t fly off and abandon them, either. In fact, they are quite protective of their family, and in the wild, will face much larger birds and predators just to keep them safe. They are also nurturing and affectionate with their young. In cases when the mother cockatiel was killed, or injured, the father quite capably steps in and assumes all the parenting duties. *Young parents. Cockatiels are the only species of cockatoo that can begin to breed in their first year. Talk about starting young! *Mi casa es su casa. Unlike other birds, cockatiels don’t mind sharing their cage with one from the same gender. So you can have two males without worrying that they will get into a fight over territory—a good option if you have no plans of breeding them! *Always in search of a friend. Cockatiels are very sociable birds and will get depressed if they are left alone for long periods of time. They may bang their heads against cages, refuse to eat, or become irritable and violent around owners. That’s why it’s advisable for you to get a pair of cockatiels if you know you’ll be out of the house for most of the day. *Eating out of the palm of your hand. You will have much more luck training a bird that was hand-fed when it was young. This means it is used to humans, which will shorten the time it takes to get it used to the new environment. It’s best to buy a cockatiel chick when it is about 8 weeks old. *Watch those hands! Never approach a cockatiel in such a way that your hand is over its head. This is very overwhelming and frightening for small birds and may make it think that it’s being attacked. * “Sick” secrets. Since cockatiels have only been recently domesticated, they haven’t completely let go of some of their survival instincts. This includes hiding their illness—a sign of weakness that could easily attract the attention of a predator. This, however, can pose a problem to pet owners. By the time you’ve noticed something’s wrong with your bird, it may be too late to get help. That’s why it’s important for you to research on the early signs of avian diseases. *If your cockatiel bites it means its hungry or mad but dont worry, this is normal. People also often mistake a coming bite, for the tiel trying to 'step up'. Keep in mind that if you flinch or pull away from the tiel trying to fend you off, you're teaching it how to keep you away. Stay strong and show the bird that it's nibbles won't keep you at bay. Category:Tips & Facts